AFFIN HWANG INVESTMENT BANK, CME GROUP LAUNCH CME FUTURES CONTRACTS

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 (Bernama) -- Affin Hwang Investment Bank Bhd has launched Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Future Contracts in partnership with the CME Group to provide investors with broader investment opportunities. 

It said these contracts incorporate a diverse range of commodities, including energy, agricultural products, metals, and others, with round-the-clock trading to allow investors to trade according to their schedules, providing robust liquidity, market transparency and risk management strategies.

Affin Hwang Investment Bank chief executive officer Nurjesmi Mohd Nashir said the launch of CME Future Contracts emphasised the bank’s commitment to continuously introduce new products to local investors. 

“This signifies our continuous growth in the financial markets, offering our valued clients a broader spectrum of investment choices and bolstering portfolio diversification, enabling them to navigate and thrive in evolving market landscapes,” he said during the launch.

Commenting on the market outlook, Nurjesmi said that the local stock market is expected to continue trading sideways during the fourth quarter this year, taking its cue from uncertainties in the global market performance. 

“In the immediate term, we do expect the market to be going more sideways, at least for the rest of the year. Fingers crossed with some positivity, we hope there will be some upside towards next year,” he added. 

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Meanwhile, CME Group managing director and head of Asia Pacific Russell Beattie said Malaysia is currently the country in the Southeast Asia region, ex-Singapore, with the highest trading volumes, an important growth market for the group in the region. 

“Over the past four years, trading volumes of our derivative products from Malaysia have grown at a compounding annual growth rate of close to 32 per cent.

“We have seen sustained demand from Malaysian market participants in terms of trading agriculture, energy, equity, interest rates, and metal products on our derivative marketplace,” he said, adding that CME Group’s products will be made widely in Malaysia through Affin Hwang Investment Bank’s QST trading platform. 

-- BERNAMA